Ribs Two Ways

Directions

1. Sprinkle both sides of one rib rack with The Usual, then sprinkle both sides of the remaining rack with Pork Perfect. Use your hands to coat the surfaces evenly with the seasoning. Place the racks on a platter and let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or wrap them well with plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. (Let the meat come to room temperature before grilling.)
   

   

2. Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire. When the coals are glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash, use tongs to remove the cooking grate and place a drip pan with 1 inch of warm water on the side with no coals, and add a couple chunks of hardwood (such as hickory or oak) to the periphery of the fire. Wipe the preheated grill grates with a lightly oiled paper towel. Using a grill brush, scrape the grill grates clean, then carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towel again.
   

3. When the fire begins to produce a steady stream of smoke, place the ribs over indirect heat (if a portion of the rack stretches over the coals, it’s okay), close the grill, vent the grill for smoking, and smoke for 30 minutes, using the vents to maintain a temperature of 275°F to 300°F (use tongs to flip and rotate the ribs, so the opposite side is stretching over the coals. Close the grill and smoker for 1 1⁄2 hours more, flipping and rotating the ribs every 30 minutes, adding more coals and wood as needed to maintain a steady temperature and smoke flow, until the ribs are deeply fragrant and have a nice crisp crust.
   

4. Preheat the oven to 225°F. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and top the foil with two layers of parchment paper. Stack the racks on top of each other on the baking sheet. Wrap the racks tightly in the paper and foil packet, and cook in the oven for 2 hours. Remove the racks from the oven and let them rest in the packet for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
   

5. To serve, unwrap the racks, slice into individual ribs, and serve with Tupelo Two-Step, or your favorite hot sauce.